OFRA Mentoring Program

The Oklahoma Farmers and Ranchers Association (OFRA) invite you to join them in the journey to a new agriculture in Oklahoma. This work was begun with the assistance of an Agriculture and Food Research Initiative Competitive Grant #2011-49400-30525 from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture. OFRA thanks USDA_NIFA, Project Director, Kerr Center For Sustainable Agriculture and partner, Mvskoke Food Sovereignty Institute for that opportunity.

OFRA aims to continue this work by developing and maintaining a network of sustainable/regenerative farmers, ranchers, and gardeners all over the state working and sharing knowledge and skills with each other. We are managing our soil to improve the health and nutrition of the forage, the livestock, and therefore our families, friends and communities.

Both the beginners and the experienced have a place in OFRA.

We can help new farmers, ranchers and gardeners find answers to their questions.

We have more experienced farmers, ranchers and gardeners to share their knowledge.

Our experienced local farmers and ranchers have spent years learning to work with nature instead of against it. The OFRA mentoring program can connect members who are just starting out or those who want to change directions with another member who has experience in the area of interest.

OFRA mentors want to help you, whether you want to plant a garden in your backyard or use those 40 to 80 acres that your granddad farmed long ago, or develop the property you recently purchased.

They want to share their knowledge with you during a year of mentoring you one-on-one.

Mentors can provide tours of their farm, ranch or garden to show you results of their training and implementation.

They will come to your farm, ranch or garden and help you plan to reach your personal goal.

This one-on-one mentoring reinforces and supplements the workshops, courses and field days that OFRA also hosts.

For the experienced farmer, rancher, or gardener, there are hundreds of people in Oklahoma who are hungry for your knowledge, experience, expertise, and your wisdom. You have the knowledge they want. Have you reached a stage where you want to share it?

They want to know what you know.

They want to become a new generation of food producers.

They want to grow real, healthy, nutritious, and affordable food.

They want to conserve and heal their corner of earth before it’s too late.

Mentors are paired with mentees based on livestock species or horticulture/gardening topic, geographic location, and educational need. Farm visits to both mentor and mentee farms occur over a year’s period, with phone conversations in between times to discuss mentee’s needs and problems. Former mentees have the opportunity to become mentors.

We will match you with someone in your area that is experienced in answering the questions you have or that is looking for the knowledge you want to share. You will both benefit from the partnership you’ll create together. And so will Oklahoma.